Don't get me wrong, no matter how much of a rollercoaster it has been, travelling Australia is the best decision I have probably ever made. Since the last time I posted in here A LOT has happened, so I'll give you all the lowdown.
We left Sydney just after my 24th birthday and started our East Coast roadtrip! Started it already knowing I would probably run out of money half way through, but I still went, because you know, Yolo.
We started off at the Blue Mountains, which for those who don't know, it's a valley with the most beautiful scenery. We set up camp, walked over to the mountains with beers (or cider in my case) and perched ourselves on some rocks to watch the sunset. It was such an amazing day, and there's something very powerful and yet peaceful about nature that I've always loved. I'm definitely outdoorsy. It was probably the worst nights sleep I've ever had in my entire life though, because my tent gave up doing anything that a tent is meant to do - so I had to sleep in the car. When I say sleep, I mean doze in and out of consciousness.
The next day we made our way to Palm Beach... most people know it from Home and Away. Another beautiful beach, so we spent a few hours there before trying to find a campsite further up north. We found one, after what felt like hours driving around in the dark, and finding out that not all campsite offices are open 24 hours (who knew?!). Thankfully, luck was on our side and we found a really nice one, on the waterfront and just across from an unmanned beach - a beach that played host to a very drunken night filled with goon and games. This place was called 'The Entrance' and personally I think it's the entrance to some otherworldly dimension because EVERY SINGLE NIGHT there was a freakishly big thunderstorm. I definitely had to seek shelter in the car on one or two occasions!
Then off we went to Port Macquarie (with a quick stop in Newcastle because, Newcastle) and by far this was my favourite place on the trip. It was the perfect campsite, plus it had a resident Koala! We quickly noticed the whole town is a shrine to this guy called Flynn but hats off to Flynn because Port Macquarie is a lovely little place. I can't miss out that we visited a Koala hospital for sick and injured Koalas... my heart, like the Grinch's, grew 3 times bigger that day.
After that we headed up to Coffs Harbour on the recommendation from quite a few backpackers, and I can't help but think they were thinking of somewhere else because there was absolutely nothing to do. We went out to celebrate one of the guys' birthdays and not one bar was open (bear in mind that it was 11pm) so naturally we spent the evening drinking on the side of the road and playing "honk" with the lorries (it is exactly what it sounds like)...
Then we decided to miss out Byron Bay (worst decision ever) and go straight to Brisbane to sell Alan Polski Stephenson (our car... not a poor guy that we decided to sell for money). We spent, in my opinion, a little too long on the campsite but we did go to the Steve Irwin Zoo (aka Australia Zoo) which was the best zoo I've ever visited. You can just wander into a field of kangaroos and take a seat next to them and just chill (I know, right?!). We also spent Christmas on a beach having a BBQ and sleeping in a car park and then New Year at a car park party (apparently we like car parks) with a 4-hour open bar... not too shabby. And definitely my best New Year's yet!
Unfortunately it all went a bit Pete Tong after this because we decided to try farm work in Bundaberg. Word of warning - unless you're prepared to hate your life, don't go to Bundaberg. Firstly I spent my last $100 on the hostel (why I hadn't freaked out before this point I don't know). Then the lady we paid showed us what I'd spent my remaining money on... a hostel, which I'm certain never got cleaned. A mattress that had brown stains on it, a toilet and shower that 18 people shared and fridges that smelled like maggots. Apparently we were the lucky ones though because we were the only ones who had working air conditioning! I literally broke down. Bundaberg saw me at my worst. And that was before the cherry tomato picking farm work that made me feel like a slave and made me walk like I'd shit my pants for four days afterwards. There's no way of sugar coating it.
We decided not to stay there (surprisingly) and to come back to Brisbane where I'm still looking for a job, living on no money (I'm with the greatest friends who have paid my way... love you guys!!) and where our little East Coast family ceased to exist :( Andy and Kilian left us to go and do all of the fun stuff we couldn't afford to do and I'm still here, one week on deciding what the hell to do with myself.
There is light at the end of the tunnel though and it looks like I can get work that pays you and gives you free meals and accommodation out in the outback. So it seems to me I'll be leaving the friends I've gotten so close to and going off on my own again into the scary world of the outback. Wish me luck!
This is starting to sound like a really sad blog post but it just goes to show that travelling isn't always easy and there's quite a few obstacles you have to overcome, but I'm pretty sure once I'm on my feet again it'll all make me a better and stronger person. SO, to end it all on a high... the roadtrip was probably the most fun thing I've ever done in my life and the last four months I've made memories, and friends, that I'll never forget.
Edit: I did actually completely my farm work eventually, on a macadamia nut farm in Dorroughby, NSW. The cherry tomato picking in Bundaberg still haunts me to this day.
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